


Not Stupid

by Eleanorose123



Category: DuckTales (Cartoon 2017)
Genre: DT17 Universe, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F.O.W.L., M/M, Original Character(s), Support
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-12
Updated: 2020-04-12
Packaged: 2021-03-01 21:50:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,078
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23614048
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Eleanorose123/pseuds/Eleanorose123
Summary: Steelbeak was just trying to blow off some steam, but Domino had other ways of letting the man vent.
Relationships: Steelbeak (Disney)/Original Character(s), Steelbeak/Dominic Domino
Comments: 10
Kudos: 31





	Not Stupid

It was a bad day.

Well, more like a typical day at the F.O.W.L. base, but it didn’t really make it any less bad. Steelbeak growled to himself, kicking up sand. After a particularly nasty argument with his partner-but-she’d-rather-die-than-call-herself-that, the man needed some air. But not the stale pizza-smelling kind he’s grown far too used to working underneath Funzo’s.

Taking the back exit from the underwater headquarters, Steelbeak found himself looking out at the bay as the sun was setting. Something about it ticked him off; how dare something look so pleasant while he felt so crummy? Couldn’t the sunshine and calm waves of water take a hint and turn cold and horrid to fit his mood?

“Stupid sky,” He muttered, kicking some small rocks that flew into the water with gentle splashes. That wouldn’t do. “Stupid rocks, not even good enough to make a decent splash!”

The rooster looked around, leaning over to gather some of the larger stones he could find. With a decent handful, he turned back to the sight at hand. The sun had almost completely set, with strokes of orange and pinks dancing across the growing night sky

“Stupid weather! Stupid beach!” He violently threw a rock with every exclamation he made. Had he had time to think more, he’d probably worry that some civilian would overhear this grown man screaming obscurities. But he didn’t, so he continued to yell.

“Stupid Heron! Stupid F.O.W.L.! I didn’t ask to do all this stuff! I’m just doing my job, aren’t I!”

With the last of ammo chucked into the freshwater, still calm as ever, Steelbeak snarled and lifted a particularly hefty rock buried in the sand next to him. Struggling only for a moment, he glared at the remaining sunlight defiantly, and gripped at the rough texture of the boulder. Swinging his body along with the movement, he threw the weight with every intention of knocking out and shattering the last bit of light left.

“I’m not STUPID!”

The rock’s resounding splash left many ripples and echoes across the once gentle surface. The sound was only drowned out by the man’s loud decree, followed by his panting breaths as he fell to his knees while the stone fell to the water’s depths. Steelbeak, not wanting to look up any longer, stared hard at the grains of sand, his hands gripping at it as if it could ease his anger.

“I’m not…not stupid.” His voice had grown much quieter now, and he noticed some water dripping down and staining the sand. Now the dark patches of ground infuriated him, and he shuts his eyes tight as his arm scrubbed at his face in annoyance.

Darnit, he hated crying. There wasn’t any point, and it made him feel weak. At least there’s not anyone to see him like this-

“Steelbeak?”

Of course the universe just had something out for him.

His eyes snapping open at the voice, Steelbeak turned his head slightly to see a familiar face looking at him. Looking away again, he continued to try and wipe away any trace of tears, clearing his throat a bit. After all, he couldn’t look weak in front of Domino; Steelbeak’s one of his higher ups, he has to maintain a reputation.

“If Black Heron sent you, you can tell her I’m done for the day.” Still refusing to look at the loon standing beside him, Steelbeak shifted on the sand and rested his crossed arms against his knees. “She can yell at some other rando if she needs to fill her annoyance quota or something.”

“Please, as if she’d ever be able to fill a quota with everything she goes through.” Not taking offense to being ignored, Domino took the liberty of sitting right next to the rooster. A small glance over and Steelbeak realized the other man was wearing his coat and hat, likely meaning the assistant was also done for the day and on his way home. Strange. He usually took the other exit out. “Any reason you’re screaming at the water? Did Poseidon upset you or something?”

“Posai-who? Never heard of her.” Steelbeak grimaced a bit by the amused little laugh Domino made. He really didn’t want to be called an idiot again for not knowing something or taking a hint-

“Poseidon is the Greek god of the ocean. Often perceived as male. And while this is more of a bay than an ocean…” Domino shrugged. “Just a little humor.”

“Ah! O-of course! I knew that.” He did not. But his work life made him feel like he needed to say otherwise. “I was just testing you is all.”

“Did I pass then?”

“Eh, maybe a B+ or somethin’. Don’t get too cocky.”

“I’ll try not to.” Domino laughed again for a moment, before a pleasant silence came over the pair. Listening to the waves and distant seagulls, the assistant took to breaking the quiet. “Are you alright?”

“You kiddin’? I’m just _dandy._ ” He stretches his legs out and collapses backwards into the sand. He could worry about how much he’ll have to clean out of his suit and feathers later, for now he just wanted to lie down at stare up at the darkened sky. “This is absolutely how I wanted to spend a Friday night.”

“Really? Cause you seem to strike me as a fan of arcade games and overpriced pizza.” Domino raised a brow in response to the narrowed glare sent his way. “But honestly, people who get called an idiot repeatedly, storm out of work in a huff and proceed to throw enough rocks to build a small house with aren’t usually _dandy_.”

This loon was confusing to Steelbeak. Not just in the intellectual manner Domino spoke and behaved around others in the workplace, or how he read books with words Steelbeak swore weren’t ever from the English language. But how an assistant, a lackey to a high ranking and long term agent, was confident enough to talk to a guy like Steelbeak as if he was his roommate or close acquaintance. Effortlessly, and without worry of stepping out of line.

“Whatever it is you’re trying to get at there, lay off it, Dom.” Steelbeak sighed loudly, too tired to argue. He just wanted to vent in peace. “I don’t want any pity from you.”

“Good, cause I’m not giving you any.” Before he had chance to question what that meant, Steelbeak heard a gentle thump near him. Domino had decided to lie on the sand a little bit away from him, looking up at the same night sky. “I’m not stupid either you know, I can tell when you’re upset.”

Either. Not stupid _either…_

“…Listen, I know I don’t really get all that nerdy, science talk, and sometimes it’s really freaking hard to keep track of a plan!” He brought down a fist to hit the sand, conversation slipping into venting. “I can’t help it if the things she says don’t make any sense! One moment she’s talking rats, the other she’s talking of a dummy ray- and I make her coffee wrong _once_ and I’m suddenly banned from ever using the coffee pot again!”

“I thought you broke the coffee pot and High Command wouldn’t let us buy a new one?”

“Maybe! That sounds about right!” Steelbeak brought his hands up, intending to press his palms over his eyes in frustration, but instead accidentally poured sand on his face. He shot up immediately with loud exclamations of annoyance as he spat at the bits that fell into his beak. A finger went to point in Domino’s direction. “Don’t even say a word right now!”

Doing as asked, Domino pushed himself to sit upright without a word. A small smirk on his face said it all though, and he shifted a little closer to pat at Steelbeak’s back. A rare action; he was often known to avoid physical contact altogether after all.

“Why are you even here?” Steelbeak asked, evidently forgetting he asked the other to be quiet moments ago. “You’re wearing your coat, shouldn’t you be halfway to your apartment by now?”

“It’s the darnest thing.” He leaned over to rest against his knees, looking out to the water rather than his companion. “I saw a man look like he was about to cry out of frustration, and some part of me decided to follow him out of concern.”

“Well, shouldn’t you be following that guy instead of talking to me?” That small laugh returned again, only this time Steelbeak didn’t feel as much dread with it. It was almost pleasant to hear.

“I was worried about _you._ Don’t ask me why, considering you’re not my problem to deal with.” Domino’s feet curled in and out of the sand underneath them as he spoke. “I know you and Black Heron aren’t exactly a match made in heaven when it comes to partnerships, and I like working with her just fine, but even I can tell that she’s been taking out a lot of her frustrations on you. Probably because you’re new.”

“Aren’t we around the same age? You’re like- what, twenty six or something?” Come to think of it, Steelbeak didn’t really ask a lot of these basic questions in the conversations they’ve had. It never really came to mind.

“Turning thirty soon actually, but thanks for the compliment.” He shrugged. “But I’ve been working at F.O.W.L. for about ten years now. You’ve only been here a few months.”

“All that time and you’re still just a coffee runner and pencil pusher?” Steelbeak’s confusion just kept growing. It would be worse if he started to question how someone so young has been working with Black Heron all this time. “What’s holding you-“

“As much as I enjoy your interest in me, Steelbeak, I think we’re getting a little off track here.” Domino looked directly at the other, his red eyes staring right through him with focus. “You may not be a scientist, or a genius by any means. Heck, there are plenty of times I get frustrated with having to repeat myself to you or have you misinterpret things-“

“I thought you said you weren’t going to pity me here?” He growled and turned away. “Get to the point already, I know you just want to call me stupid.”

“I think you just think differently than I do, but I don’t find that to be a bad thing.”

That statement perked Steelbeak’s interest. It was a different type of phrasing than what he was used to hearing, and he looked back at Domino to see if there were any traces of mocking or jest. There weren’t any.

“…how so?” He asked hesitantly.

“You see things as they are at face value. Directions and complicated explanations can get lost and jumbled in your head, leading to situations like earlier today for instance.” He didn’t know all the details, but Black Heron certainly seemed to yell a lot of key points. “Your focus can shift easily, and you prefer to prioritize your own interests. And above all else, you are a very, _very_ emotional person.”

“I am _not_ overly emotional!” Steelbeak huffed and crossed his arms at the accusation, before blinking in mild realization as Domino continued to look at him with a small smile. “…okay, maybe I’m a _little_ emotional. Sue me.”

“I think I’d rather not spend money on that.” With a quiet laugh, the loon stood up, dusting off sand from his coat. Thinking about something for a moment, Domino offered his hand to Steelbeak. “I would be fine with spending it on a dinner with you though. If you wouldn’t mind some company tonight that is.”

Steelbeak’s cheeks turned red at that. It wasn’t…a secret that Domino was quite flirtatious and interested in men, but it did catch him off guard to have a wink or two be thrown his way by the confident and charming man. He was interested, but never really had time to try and do anything about it.

Guess he didn’t have to try much. He took Domino’s hand.

“I suppose I can pencil you in, smart guy.” Once he was standing, Steelbeak let go of Domino’s hand. More for the loon’s comfort levels if anything, and the gesture made the man’s smile grow a little. The little things that make all the difference in the world to him.

“Smart move.”

**Author's Note:**

> Sooo, I adore DT17!Steelbeak. 
> 
> Got so inspired that I decided to try and write a DT17 version of my OC Domino. Domino's always been made to accompany Steelbeak's character in some manner, so the shift would apply here. There isn't too much of a difference, though since he's not a full agent and rather an assistant, one could argue Domino is more patient with others in this universe. 
> 
> I wanted to play around with the different forms of "intelligence" and how Steelbeak can be smart enough not to set off Domino's touch aversion, but not smart enough to remember plans and schemes. Everyone's different, and as Domino states, that's alright too. Plus, he'd be a liar if he said he didn't enjoy their banter.


End file.
